Author: Katie Wilson

The domed Olympia Capitol Building stands in the distance with a bus stop with a passenger waiting in the foreground. A dogwalker also mosey on the lawn.

Op-Ed: Washington State’s Path to Tax The Rich in 2025

With a state budget deficit looming, Democrats may consider a JumpStart-like corporate payroll tax or other new revenue, to lessen the need for deep cuts.
Shemona Moreno is at the lectern with a dozen advocates holding signs in defense of JumpStart investments. Two advocates wear ghost costumes with cop hats representing the ghost cop positions that mayor and council prioritizes for funding.

Seattle Rejects Capital Gains Proposal, but Progressive Tax Time Is Nigh

Progressive challenger Alexis Mercedes Rinck's election win could mean a 5-4 majority for a capital gains tax — or even a supermajority, if Rob “this is the right tax at the wrong time” Saka can be convinced that the time is right. Other progressive taxes are also on the table.
A pergola shelters a street cafe on Ballard Avenue, with a person biking by in the street.

Policy Lab: Why Are Seattle Restaurants So Expensive?

Seattle service workers are set to get a major wage hike, unless restaurant lobbyists get their way. But policymakers can support the restaurant industry in better ways than simply cutting worker pay.
A view of the downtown Seattle skyline from a Capitol Hill rooftop

Policy Lab: Ban Algorithmic Rental Price-Setting

At least half of Seattle's apartments are priced using algorithms like RealPage, which is facing a federal lawsuit for illegal price fixing. The Seattle City Council should ban such algorithms, Katie Wilson argues.
An rooftop view of rows of midrise apartments in South Lake Union with Capitol Hill in the distance.

Policy Lab: Cracking Down on Rental “Junk Fees”

President Biden has called out junk fees, but local landlords continue to charge them. Here's what Seattle and other cities can do to address them.
Two servers behind the counter at a cafe, one at the register and another at the espresso machine.

Op-Ed: Seattle Council Won’t Get Away with Gutting Minimum Wage Law

The Seattle City Council is queuing up a debate on appropriate wages for service workers at smaller employers. At the behest of restaurant owners, Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth is seeking to cancel a scheduled minimum wage increase.
Folks walk the beach as the Washington State ferry comes in. Cars wait on the dock.

Policy Lab: We Want Bread, and Paid Vacation Too!

Most advanced nations mandate at least 20 working days of paid vacation per year, but not the United States. Here's why we should change that.

Op-Ed: Ban Bus Wraps and Spare Riders the Barrage of Advertisements

You don’t have to detest all advertising or be a wild-eyed radical to agree that windows are for seeing through. Metro should discontinue bus wraps that obscure windows.